New Delhi: It's a revelation that could embarrass the Travancore Royal family and one that raises serious questions about the stand they took before the Supreme Court. The Royal family had recently told the top court that opening the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple's secret vaults and photographing the treasure would invite the deity's anger.
But NDTV has accessed documents that show the Royal family had authorised the opening of the secret vaults at the temple in 2007 and even the contents of the vaults were photographed.
The Travancore Royal Family has declined to comment, saying the matter is sub-judice. But its change in stand came in for harsh criticism from the Supreme Court. The court asked: "When we have asked the committee to decide on the opening of vault B, is it open to the committee to outsource it to others and seek 'Devaprasnam'?"
NDTV has also accessed a report of an Advocate Commission in 2008 that pointed out that there were attempts to remove the temple wealth in small quantities while they were being returned after daily worship, a report that has now been brought to the apex court's notice.
V K Harikumar, Executive Officer, Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple (Malayalam) said, "This is an issue that has been blown out of proportion. Even if there were some losses as stated in the report, it was negligible."
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court-appointed panel of experts has decided to fast-track the process of preparing a detailed inventory of the temple treasure and a specialised agency will now be entrusted with the task.
But NDTV has accessed documents that show the Royal family had authorised the opening of the secret vaults at the temple in 2007 and even the contents of the vaults were photographed.
The Travancore Royal Family has declined to comment, saying the matter is sub-judice. But its change in stand came in for harsh criticism from the Supreme Court. The court asked: "When we have asked the committee to decide on the opening of vault B, is it open to the committee to outsource it to others and seek 'Devaprasnam'?"
NDTV has also accessed a report of an Advocate Commission in 2008 that pointed out that there were attempts to remove the temple wealth in small quantities while they were being returned after daily worship, a report that has now been brought to the apex court's notice.
V K Harikumar, Executive Officer, Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple (Malayalam) said, "This is an issue that has been blown out of proportion. Even if there were some losses as stated in the report, it was negligible."
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court-appointed panel of experts has decided to fast-track the process of preparing a detailed inventory of the temple treasure and a specialised agency will now be entrusted with the task.
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